Think it takes a lot of effort to learn and maintain a mindfulness practice? The first effort is your committment. Given that you're here, let's assume you're committed. Next, it's about remembering, over and over and over again, to come back to this moment, the present.
Here are 5 things that you can try today to get started.
๐ญ. ๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ชโ๐ง๐ ๐ฟ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐โฃ (or 5)
Take a moment to notice your breath โย this will help keep you centered and present in your body throughout your day.โฃ When we are present to the body, it is much harder to ruminate about the past or rehearse the future. So go ahead, try it. Take this moment right now to just focus on your breath in and your breath out...where do you feel it? what else do you notice when you're just concentrating on your breathing?
๐ฎ. ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฟ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐โฃ
Set some time each day to put your phone out of reach (if itโs in reach, you might pick it back up without even realizing it -- not to worry, it's completely normal, and we do it too!). Once it is out of reach, keep going about your day and just notice what, if anything, happens.โฃ
๐น. ๐ฟ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ย ย โฃ
Switching between tasks can actually take up more time, and youโre more likely to make a mistake when you try to multitask. Practice giving all of your attention and awareness to just one task before switching to the next one. This is a hard one, but so rewarding!โฃ
๐ฐ. ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ช๐ก ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐จโฃ
The next time youโre doing a seemingly mindless task, like washing the dishes, brushing your teeth, or folding laundry, make it mindful by focusing all your attention on what you sense in your body, heart and mind while you are fully engaged in this task. Challenge yourself to notice 2 things you sense in the body, 2 things you notice in the mind, and 2 things you feel in your heart.
โฃ
๐ฑ. ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ช ๐ผ๐ก๐ง๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ ๐โฃ
There are many so ways to practice mindfulness with movement. It starts by paying attention to the feeling of your feet on the floor as you take each step. See if you can expand this awareness to each step as you take a flight of stairs or a walk outside. How about the feeling in your body during exercise or yoga? Remind yourself to just notice... You don't have to change anything; this is just an exercise to get back to this moment, right now.
โฃTry them all a few times and remember that new things get easier and more familiar with practice.
ใณใกใณใ